What is alcoholism considered to be What is alcoholism and drug addiction What is alcoholism or alcohol dependence What is alcoholism defined as What is alcoholism like What is alcoholism caused by What is alcoholism and its effects What is alcoholism sym. What Is Alcoholism? Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, CareDash

Drinking alcohol doesn’t automatically make you an alcoholic. However, anyone who can't stop drinking, and drinks so much that they have problems in their daily life, is addicted to alcohol. Alcoholism can lead to serious health issues and problems with family, finances, and career. The good news is that many people with alcoholism learn to manage it successfully. What is alcoholism.

What Is Alcoholism?

Some people suffering from alcoholism drink large quantities of alcohol at one time. Others drink often enough during the day to cause health and safety problems, even though they may not have one drink after another. Here are some terms you’ll see as you learn more about alcoholism:

Alcohol Intoxication: As the amount of alcohol in your blood increases, you experience mental, emotional, and physical changes.

Alcohol Withdrawal: If you stop drinking after a long period of drinking heavily, you can experience sweating, tremors, rapid heartbeat, nausea and vomiting, and even seizures.

Blackouts: You can experience periods of memory loss while drinking.

Stages and Types of Alcoholism

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, there are three stages of alcoholism as defined in the latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The DSM-5 identifies 11 symptoms. Symptoms range from drinking more than you had planned to experiencing blackouts. The number of those symptoms you are experiencing determines the stage of alcoholism you are in.

Mild: Two to three symptoms

Moderate: Four to five symptoms

Severe: Six or more symptoms

What is alcoholism considered to be What is alcoholism and drug addiction What is alcoholism or alcohol dependence What is alcoholism defined as What is alcoholism like What is alcoholism caused by What is alcoholism and its effects What is alcoholism sym

Symptoms and Causes

Many different things can contribute to a person becoming addicted to alcohol. These factors include:

Each person reacts to drinking alcohol differently. You may be missing deadlines at work or failing to remember a child’s ball game, or you may start having health issues such as a damaged liver. Symptoms are wide-ranging and may be difficult for the person with the addiction to recognize.

Prevention and Risks

Risk factors for alcohol abuse include things such as

Starting to drink at an early age

Drinking too much over an extended period

History of excessive drinking in your family

Being in an environment where drinking is rewarded

Prevention starts with education. If there is a history of alcoholism in your family, you need to be aware that you could be at risk for the disease yourself. In that case and all others, prevention would include avoiding alcohol in childhood and adolescence as well as avoiding places where drinking to excess is considered a way to have fun or relax.

Diagnosis and Tests

It’s not difficult for a family member or healthcare professional to diagnose alcoholism. Observation of your habits, how you consume alcohol, and the consequences of your drinking are clear indicators. If you think you might have alcoholism, your first stop should be your primary care physician to help identify where you are in its stages. Your doctor can provide referrals to other help sources such as local support groups or medically managed care. Further, your primary care doctor can determine if medication would be helpful, and treat the health problems caused by alcohol addiction.

Blood tests can identify how much alcohol you have had to drink, and whether you are legally drunk at the time of the test. There is no medical test to prove whether you are addicted to alcohol. However, regular abuse will affect your health, and tests for things such as liver damage can help to reinforce a diagnosis.

Treatment, Procedures, and Medication

Often, the biggest obstacle to treating alcoholism is that the people suffering from it don’t recognize that they have a problem. However, once you accept you have an alcohol addiction, there are many opportunities for treatment.

Medically managed withdrawal: The physical and emotional problems you’ll run into when you stop drinking can be severe. Managing the process of giving up alcohol and working through withdrawal symptoms is often best done with help from healthcare professionals.

Medication: Oral medications and injections can help block the euphoria associated with drinking alcohol.

Support: While not impossible, it’s difficult to stop drinking without support. Organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous help people with an alcohol addiction get and stay sober. You can also consider residential treatment facilities that specialize in alcohol abuse. Also, you may benefit from psychological counseling to deal with issues like depression and anxiety.

Healthy Lifestyle Tips

When you’ve decided to stop drinking alcohol, there are several ways that you can help yourself to stay sober.

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Find ways, either on your own or with support groups, to reduce stress.

Stay away from people or situations that will encourage you to drink.

Develop a network of friends and activities that will support your recovery.

It’s common for people with alcoholism to neglect themselves, so good nutrition is critical for recovery. Eat foods high in nutrients like salmon, kale, shellfish, and sardines. Also, eat a balanced diet that includes lots of protein, fruit, grain, dairy, and vegetables.

Conclusion

Alcoholism is a disease that can ruin your health, relationships, finances, and career. If you show signs of alcoholism, getting immediate help will allow you to start managing the dependency and living a full life. Learn more about this disease, talk to your doctor, and seek out local support groups. You’ll love life without the burden of alcoholism weighing you down.

Monday, December 18, 2017

Posted by Alcoholism at 02:40AM

Tags: what is alcoholism considered to be what is alcoholism and drug addiction what is alcoholism or alcohol dependence what is alcoholism defined as what is alcoholism like what is alcoholism caused by what is alcoholism and its effects what is alcoholism sym

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